Current and former elected officials in Paterson have received ample funds for accrued sick and vacation days. But now a top state official believes they should pay that money back to the city, according to a report from the Paterson Press.

"We believe these practices are grossly inappropriate and potentially unlawful," Thomas Neff, the director of the New Jersey Division of Local Government Services said in a letter to Paterson's law director, Domenick Stampone. "Simply put, proffered explanations that hang by their fingernails on past practice and provisions of inapplicable collective bargaining agreements are disingenuous."

Regretfully, some of Paterson's former and current elected officials continue to misconstrue election to public office as an election to public employment," continues the letter. "In order to resolve this problem, the City should pursue reimbursement from any person who holds or has held public elected office who received these improper payments."

In the past, officials in Trenton said such payments should not be made in the future, according to the Paterson Press. But Neff's letter offers a much stronger position, though it does not reference specific payments made to elected officials.

Since 2008, payments to former Mayor Jose "Joey" Torres and current mayor Jeffery Jones have totaled more than $90,000 for unused sick and vacation days, according to the report.

Torres, who is also a candidate in the upcoming mayoral election, has made a partial repayment of $3,169 for vacation time in 2008, the report said. But he has not paid back the $73,966 he received in 2010.

In response to Neff's letter, Torres told the Press, "I agree with Tom Neff, but I'm saying there was a policy and there was a resolution that allowed it."